Mechanism for reproducing all the movements of the steps of quadrupeds



' 1,638,332 Aug 9* 1927- v. GOBBATO v MECHANISM FbR REPRODUCING ALL THEIOVEMENTS OF THE STEPS 0F QUADRUPBDS Filed llarch 12. 1925 2 shuts-sn g1 Aug. 9,1927, GOBBATO 1,638,332

IBCHANISI FOR REPRODUGING ALL THE MOVEMENIS OF THE STEPS 0F QUADRUPBDSFiled latch 12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT orricsa VI'ITOBIO GOIBIBATO, OF MILAN, ITALY.

nGELNISM FOR REPBODUCING ALL THE MOVEMENTS OF THE STEPS 0] QUAD- BUPEDS.

Application filed March 12, 1925, Serial No. 15,014, and in Italy March22, 1924.

The present invention has for its object to provide a mechanism for reroducing all the movements of the steps 0 quadrupeds, this mechanismcomprising essentially a main shaft having two oppositely arrangedcranks and continuously rotated from a suitable source of power. Thisshaft serves to impart through connecting rods a to-and-fro pendulummovement to one pair of the legs of the mechanism which are eachcomposed of several parts articulated to one another and are attached tothe body of the mechanism so as to be capableof oscillating movementrelative thereto, coupling rods being provided for transmitting themovement of each leg of the hind'pair to a leg of the front pair on theopposite side of the body.

The arrangement further comprises two secondary shafts, each providedwith two oppositely arranged cranks driven intermittently in successionfrom the same source of power, and actuating in an intermittent mannerby means of connecting rods, the mechanisms for operating thearticulations of two legs located on opposite sides, one in front andthe other at the back, whilst the articulations of the other two legsare locked against movement owing to the looking of their driving crankshaft, so that the latter legs being held rigid engage with the ground,and perform the step.

One constructional form of the invention is shown, merely by way ofexample, in the accompanying drawing in which: Figures 1 and 2 show themechanism as a whole in vertical and horizontal section respectively;Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the mechanism shown inFig. 2; Figures 3 and 4: show the mechanisms controllingthearticulations of a front and back leg respectively.

The mechanism comprises the main shaft A having two oppositely arrangedcranksa, -a/-- and rotatably mounted ina suitable frame 1, which isarranged inside the body 2 of the quadruped, this shaft beingcontinuously rotated, in any suitable manner, as for example by means ofa s ring motor arranged in the interior ofvthe Frame 1. Connecting rodsC, C, are provided connected at one end to the cranks -a-, -a', and atthe otherend at 0', -c' to the u per arts 3, 3 of the hind legs of thequa rup which are mountedso as to be capable of oscillating on thetransverse shaft 4 secured to the frame 1 these rods serving to impartopposite pendulum move- 1 ments to thelegs. The upper parts 5, 5 of thefront legs of the quadruped, are mounted so as to be capable ofoscillation on the transverse shaft 6, which is also secapable ofoscillation on a shaft G secured to the frame 1' and is provided withtwo In H which project downwards and are a? ranged to abut sometimesagainst one and sometimes against the other of the two parts 5, 5 of thefront legs with the object of imparting to the whole an oscillatingmovement synchronous with that of these parts. 1

Each front leg comprises in addition to the upper part 5 or 5', thethree parts 7,

S, 9, each articulated to the preceding part respectively at 10, 11, 12.The'actuation of the articulated limb is effected by the lever 13, whichis pivotally mounted on the shaft 6, and is connected by means of a link14 to the end 7 of the part 7 and by means of a link 20 to the lever 19connected to a polnt ln'the part 5. To a projection 13*- on the lever 13is also connected the upper end of a. bent lever 15 descending thelength of the leg and pivotally connected to ya polnt 8* 1n the part 8,whilst between the end of the short arm of the lever 15 and a po nt 9*in the last part 9 of the limb, constituting the shoe, there isconnected a tie rod constituted by the two distinct parts 17, 18connected together by the tension sprlng 16 formed as a helixsurrounding these parts. As a result of the arrangement of the group oflevers described above, when the lever 19 isthrust forward towards theshaft 6, as shown in Figure 1, the different articulated partsconstituting the leg straighten out to the elongated form taken by theleg when it is thrust against the ground; on the other hand when thelever 19 is caused .to rock towards the rear, as

shown in Figure 3, the parts, including the shoe 9, mutually move to thecompletely flexed position assumed by the raised leg which is about totake a step forward.

Each hind leg, in addition to the upper part 3, or 3 comprises the twoparts 21, 22,

each articulated to the preceding one respectively at 21 and 23. In thecase of the hind le the positive actuation of the articulated w ole islimited to the single part 21, the shoe 22 being merely supportedresiliently by the precedmg part by means of the spring 24 (Figure 1).This actuation is effected by means of the lever 25 pivotally mounted onthe shaft 4 and articulated to the lever 26' which, descending thelength of the leg,.is articulated at 21 to the part 21. A lever 27 havinthe same function as the lever 19, is pivota ly mounted at a point onthe part 3 and connected by means of a link 28 to the lever 25, serves,when it is thrust backwards towards the shaft 4, as shown in Figure 1,

- to straighten the leg in' its extended position touching the ground,whilst when it is caused to rock forwards as shown in Figure 4, itserves to effect the flexing of the leg 7 itself.

The actuation of the articulating mechanisms of the legs is effected bythe two counter shafts B, B, each having two op- ,positely arrangedcranks and rotatably mounted in the frame 1. The cranks of the shaft B,by means of the connecting rods D and E", operate'respectively the lever19 for the articulating mechanism of the left front leg and the lever 27for that of the right hind leg; similarly the cranks of the shaft B, bymeans of the connecting rods D and E control in an analogous manner thearticulating mechanisms of the right front leg and of the left hind leg.

The counter shafts B, B are intermittently rotated in succession, insuch a man on its circumference and engages with the toothed wheel 31,which is of variable radius, and is mounted on the shaft B. The otherhalf disc 30, which has a concentric and smooth circumference is adaptedto engage with an eccentric shoe 32 also mounted on the shaft B. Durinone half revolution of the shaft A the toot ed ed e of the disc 29intermeshes with the whee 31 and causes the shaft B to perform onerevolution, the

shoe 32 being out of engagement-with the circumference of the disc 30.During the other half revolution of the shaft A the toothed edge of thedisc 29 does not intermesh with the wheel 31 whilst the shoe 32 engageswith the disc 30 and the shaft B remains stationary. The shaft B isdriven in a similar manner by means of the other disc 29, 30, which isalso mounted on the shaft A and cooperates with the wheel 31' and theshoe 32 mounted on the shaft B. The toothed half discs 29 and 29 areangularly displaced relative to each other so that the period of rest ofone of the counter shafts B or B corresponds to that of movement of theother.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows i- During the rotation ofthe shaft A the legs of the front and hind pairs tend to be oscillatedabout the axes 4 and 6, so that the front right leg and the left hindleg, coupled together, oscillate in opposite directions to the othertwo, which are also coupled together. Now of the two legslof each pair,

that leg which is in the most forward position has itsv articulatingmechanism locked by reason of the fact that the shaft B or B controllingit is immovable, in such a man ner that these stiffened legs are appliedto the ground. On the other hand the two remaining legs have thearticulating mecha nism operative and are consequently raised by bendingas shown in Figures 3 and 4f, whilst at the same time, owing to theoscillating movement given to them by the shaft A, they are carriedforward. Furthermore the legs applied to the ground tend at the sametime to swing towards the rear, and since they are absolutely stiff,since their articulating mechanism is locked. these legs thrust againstthe ground, and there is thus effected a relative forward movement ofthe body 2. In this manner the exact reproduction of the movement of thesteps of quadrupeds is obtained, whilst the head and neck as a wholeoscillate vrythmically at each step.

It is evident that the invention is in no way restricted to itsapplication to a horse, as shown in the drawin nor to the precisearrangements describe and illustrated, since it would be possible,acording to the nature of its application or with the objectof'simplifying the construction, to decrease the number of articulationsof each'leg or the number of positively driven elements of each of theselegs, or to adopt any other de vice for intermittently driving thecounter crank shafts, and so on; all these variations and modificationsof a constructional nature being within the scope of the invention.

I claim: 7

1.' Mechanism for reproducing the step movements of quadrupeds, thecombination full ' for controlling.

and transmlsslon members operwith a body portion and articulated frontand hind legs jointed thereto, of a rod connecting each hind leg to afront leg, a main rotary shaft having oppositely arranged cranks, rodsconnecting the cranks to the hind legs for imparting oppositeoscillating movement thereto, two secondary rotary shafts, means on themain and secondary shafts for successively and intermittentl rotatingthe secondary shafts contro lin mechanisms for the articulated members 0the legs, and means operated by theseoondary shafts for actuating thecontrolling mechanisms.

2. Mechanism for reproducing step movements of quadrupeds, thecombination with a body portion, and articulated front and hind legsipinted to the body, of a main rotary. sha having oppositely arrangecranks, rods connecting the cranks to the hind legs for impartingoppositely oscillating movement thereto, a cross rod connecting eachhind leg with a front leg on the 0ppo-. site side of the body, twosecondary rotary shafts each having oppositely arranged cranks, meansoperated by the rotation of the main shaft'for successively andintermittently rotating the secondary shafts means for intermlttentlyand successively locking said secondary shafts, mechanism thearticulated members of the legs, ated by the cranks of the secondaryshafts for successively and intermittently actuating said controllingmechanisms, whereby the articulations of the two legs located onopposite sides, one in front and the other be ind are actuatedintermittently.

3. Mechanism for reproducing step movements of quadrupeds, thecombination with a body portion, a front leg comprising four elementsarticulated successively together, a shaft in said body on which theupper most. or first element is pivotally mounted, a control leverpivoted on said shaft, a tie-rod connecting the lever to the secondelement of the leg', an actuating lever adapted to oscillate on thefirst element and connected to the control lever, a bent leverarticulated to the third element, and a resilient connecting deviceconnected to the to the actuating-lever,

short arm of the bent lever for actuating the fourth element of the leg.

4. Mechanism for reproducing step movements of quadrupeds, thecombination with abody portion, elements articulated successivelytogether, a shaft in said body on which the uppermost or first elementis pivotally mounted, a control lever pivotally mounted on said shaft,an actuating lever pivoted on the first element, a tie-rod connectingthe control lever second element operatively connected to the controllever, and a resilient member conmeetin the second and third elements.

5. Mechanism for reproducing step movements of quadrupeds, thecombination with a body portion, and articulated front and d hind legsjointed to the body, of a main rotary shaft having oppositely arrangedcranks, two secondary crank shafts, each having two opposite y arrangedcranks,

means for intermittently driving the secondary shafts comprising twodiscs carried by the main shaft, each consisting of two half-discsarranged in different planes, one half-disc having a smoothcircumference and the other a toothed circumference, a toothed wheelcarried by the corres onding secondary shaft meshing with said toothedcircumference whereby the secondary shaft will make a complete rotationfor each half rotation of the main shaft, eccentric shoes carried bythesecondary shafts adapted to engage the smooth oircumference, the twodiscs being angularly displaced from one another whereby the period ofmovement of one secondary shaft corresponds to the period of rest of theother secondary shaft.

6. Mechanism for reproducing the movements of quadrupeds, thecombination with a body portion, articulated front and hind legs jointedto the body and means for oscillating said legs, of a head and neckportion pivoted on the body, and lugs on said neck portion adapted to beengaged by the front legs during their oscillating movements.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, '1 have signed111 name.

VITTORIO GO BATO.

a hind leg comprising three a lever pivoted on the

